“Thoughts are with his brother Finlay, his family and those closest to him.”

Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, said: “Campbell was a very popular member of the weighing room and was immensely well liked by his colleagues.

“His riding career was just beginning to flourish and he had a great future ahead of him in horse racing.

“In March this year, he was able to celebrate a first winner at the Cheltenham Festival and there would undoubtedly have been many more days like that for him.

“It is so tragic that he has lost his life at such a young age when he had so much more to look forward to.”

Campbell was regarded as one of racing’s top emerging talents and won at Cheltenham riding Brindisi Breeze.

Tragically, the horse was killed last month after it jumped out of a paddock and was hit by a lorry.

Campbell won 131 races and rode 38 winners last season.

Before and after his race on Sunday, Campbell posted excited tweets about his trip. One read: “Riding out almost done – oneat Hexham today then Kavos tomorrow.”

On Monday, he tweeted his travelling companions – Henry, Nathan, Harry and Mark: “In the car, next stop KAVOS.”

As he waited at the airport, Mark, who works as head lad at the Arlary yard, posted: “In airport pinting it up!!!! Ready to go!!!”

He and his friends had joked about jumping into swimming pools just hours before his death.

His agent Paul Brierley tweeted Mark on Sunday: “Marko you will have to lock the balcony, Olympic diving team”

Mark replied: “Better had! No balcony over pool this year! B more splat than splash this time!!!”

Brierley insisted that Campbell had not been involved in jumping from balconies and that had nothing to do with the accident.

Beverley Racecourse held a one-minute’s silence and jockeys wore black armbands at yesterday’s meeting in tribute to Campbell.

Next page: Personal tribute from Daily Record pundit Garry Owen

By Garry Owen

ON March 16, I stood in the paddock at the Cheltenham Festival cheering as Brindisi Breeze was led into the winner’s enclosure, with jockey Campbell Gillies looking down at the crowd, the coolest person in that vast amphitheatre.

I had just lost my “tank” on the Irish “banker” Boston Bob who came second, but that didn’t matter – Scotland had a Festival winner at last, and trained by Record Racing columnist Lucinda Russell to boot.

Both horse and jockey were magnificent that day and everyone involved in racing recognised they were a special team with the jumping world at their feet.

It is beyond belief that both are now dead and we’ll never see either grace the racecourse again.

I only met Campbell on a couple of occasions, but a more genuine and honest fella you could never meet.

After the pair had landed the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham, Campbell made a guest appearance on The Morning Line and anyone who saw the programme will have been left in no doubt as to his natural charm and deep knowledge of racing.

National Hunt racing can be a cruel sport as most people involved will testify.

Horse and jockey put their life on the line every time they race and when tragedies occur, they are recognised as part of the sport.

To lose two such brilliant ambassadors for the sport is a crying shame, in every sense.